Parents & Teachers

The activities and resources on this site are free to use. The site is intended for students in 5th-8th grade.

For your convenience, we have provided a brief description of each store in the mall. We’ve also provided fact sheets, lesson plans and classroom activities that complement the site. The site can be used to support lessons in critical thinking, language arts, writing, media literacy, business, civics, and social studies.

The kids resources fact sheet tells parents, teachers, librarians and other adults about You Are Here, Net Cetera and Admongo, with bulk order address.

WEST TERRACE:

Shuman’s ShoesLesson: Ads and Endorsements
There are lots of different kinds of ads. Here, visitors can design their own poster for a shoe sale or listen to a popular DJ’s endorsement to determine whether it’s an ad.

Market-Match WirelessLesson: Targeted Marketing
Businesses use target marketing to reach specific audiences. Visitors can learn more about target marketing by matching different styles of cell phones with their target audiences. Play this matching game again and again to beat your best time.

Gr8 GadgetsLesson: False or Misleading Ads
Misleading ads cause lots of problems for businesses and consumers. Visitors watch a misleading commercial and then learn how it has caused problems for everyone involved. They also learn how the FTC prosecutes companies that intentionally mislead consumers.

Nutrition EmporiumLesson: Advertising Claims
Companies are responsible for the claims they make in their advertisements. Visitors learn more by examining a print ad with suspicious claims.

SECURITY PLAZA:

Mall Security OfficeLesson: Identity Theft
Will’s laptop has been stolen! At the security office, visitors learn who stole it, and find out what a stolen laptop has to do with identity theft. They also can ask questions about identity theft and learn how to avoid it.

Book CaféLesson: Privacy and Personal Information
Emily asks visitors for help designing her online profile. Find out the consequences of posting personal information online and get tips about when it’s appropriate to share.

The ArcadeLesson: Protect Personal Information
At the arcade, visitors defend against Cyclorean space invaders who want to steal Earthlings’ personal information. They also learn why their personal information is valuable and what’s so important about a Social Security number.

EAST TERRACE

Clothing Co.Lesson: Modeling Scams
Isaac finds out from a modeling agent that he’s “got the look.” With Emily’s help, visitors can convince Isaac that the amazing offer is a scam, and that he shouldn’t pay for the promise of success.

Kablamo! ComicsLesson: Job Scams
Keno tells visitors how he fell for a job scam and offers advice on how to avoid the same fate. Meanwhile, Captain Noscam’s game lets visitors blast key words and phrases that are used frequently in scams.

Maggie’s Miracle CartLesson: Miracle Products
VeggieWow gives you a boost, improves your memory and clears your skin! Really? Visitors see pitches for several “miracle” products, and then work with Emily to find the clues that show these products aren’t all they claim to be.

Free Vacations!Lesson: Sweepstakes and Giveaways
Visitors can earn a free vacation if they hit just the right spot on the spinning wheel. After they win, they learn there’s a catch. The mall security officer helps them sniff out this scam.

FOOD COURT:

Pizza Pizza PizzaLesson: Competition
Companies compete with each other by offering some combination of higher quality, lower prices, more choices, and better service. Visitors listen to three different sales pitches for pizza to determine which one appeals to them most.

Candy Tooth KingdomLesson: Supply & Demand
The price of goods is usually determined by supply, demand, and production costs. Here, visitors guess the retail price of various candies by considering these factors.

CinemaLesson: History of American Business Competition
The FTC is guided by important laws: the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act, and the FTC Act. Visitors can learn more about the history of the FTC and its role in American commerce by watching a short video and asking questions afterward.

Triple Cold CreameryLesson: Mergers
Some mergers eliminate competition, but not all mergers are bad. Often consumers benefit because the merger combines desirable qualities from two different companies. Visitors listen to a conversation to learn more about mergers and the FTC’s role overseeing them.